Round balers generally have a bale forming chamber defined by a pair of opposing side walls associated with an array of side-by-side belts, transverse slats trained on chains, a plurality of transverse rolls or a combination of these various elements, e.g., rolls and belts. During field operation, windrowed crop material such as hay is picked up from the ground and fed in a continuous stream into a fixed or variable diameter chamber. The hay is rolled into a cylindrical package within the chamber, wrapped with twine, net or the like and ejected onto the ground for subsequent handling.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,672, issued Mar. 4, 1994 in the name of Kenneth R. Underhill, and, U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,968, issued Sep. 18, 1990, also in the name of Kenneth R. Underhill, disclose one type of prior art round baler of the general nature described above. In this particular type of baler an expandable chamber is defined by a pair of fixed sidewalls, and a plurality of side-by-side belts cooperating with a series of transverse rolls, mounted between a pair of pivotally mounted arms. This arrangement of rolls and arms is commonly referred to as a sledge assembly. The chamber includes an inlet opening in the front through which crop material is fed. Also included is a pair of take up arms pivotally mounted on the main frame, between which arms a pair of guide rolls are journalled. A biasing force on the take up arms urges the outer surfaces of the guide rolls against the belts to maintain tension and thereby prevent slack from occurring in the belts during expansion and contraction of the chamber. Density of the bale can be regulated by varying the force on the take up arms.
Another type of prior art round baler of the same general nature employs a plurality of transverse rolls to define a cylindrical bale forming chamber having a fixed diameter. Examples of this type baler are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,855, issued Sep. 23, 1986 in the name of Robert A. Wagstaff, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,848, issued Aug. 12, 1986 in the name of Gerhard Clostermeyer, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,851, issued Jun. 2, 1989 in the name of Pierre Quataert. It should be noted that the '851 patent shows additional embodiments wherein a fixed diameter chamber is defined by means other than rolls, i.e., belts (FIG. 7) or transverse slats supported between moving chains (FIG. 8). U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,806, issued Sep. 27, 1994 in the name of John R. Swearingen, et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,123, issued Sep. 9, 1986 in the name of Bernard Krone, et al, are additional examples of prior art round balers having fixed diameter chambers defined by transverse slats.
The present invention relates to apparatus for storing wrapping material used in a wrapping system for a round baler in which a cylindrical package of crop material is formed in either a fixed chamber or an expanding chamber. For example, the chamber could comprise fixed side walls and an expandable transverse wall defined by a combination of belts and rolls of the general nature described in the '672 patent, cited above. This is one example of the many prior art patents assigned to the assignee, New Holland North America, Inc., that disclose this type of expandable chamber round baler, commonly referred to as a roll-belt round baler. It is not uncommon in prior art roll-belt round balers to dispense the wrapping material from a storage container carried on the baler main frame, as shown in the '968 patent, referred to above.
Alternatively, the present invention is also adaptable to a round baler having a chamber comprising fixed side walls and transverse forming elements at fixed locations in a configuration of the general nature described in the '851 patent, cited above. Again, the supply of wrapping material is carried on the baler mainframe. The '806 and '123 patents, mentioned above, are further examples of prior art balers having a fixed diameter chamber in which the wrapping material is stored on the main frame.
Unique characteristics of the present invention, described below, contribute to a wrapping system for round balers that conveniently stores wrapping material in a location consistent with the appropriate introduction of wrapping material to the periphery of a cylindrical package of crop material formed in the bale forming chamber, regardless of whether the diameter of the chamber is fixed or variable, and regardless of the nature of the transverse wall, i.e., belts, rolls, slats, or a combination of belts, rolls or slats.
Problems have been encountered in conveniently positioning the container for storing wrapping material used in prior art round balers of the general nature described in the preceding paragraphs. When the container is positioned adjacent the dispensing assembly for the wrapping material, it becomes difficult to conveniently access the dispensing assembly and other operative elements of the baler for service and maintenance. The unique features proffered by the structure of the present invention, described below, overcome these problems and contribute to improved performance and operability of round balers having a readily available storage container located adjacent the wrapping assembly. Additionally, these features are consistent with simplification and enhancement of routine serviceability as well as field maintenance, all of which lead to a baler that is significantly more "operator friendly" than prior art balers.